New president speaks of Northampton Community College's power to transform lives locally

Monday

Aug 20, 2012 at 12:01 AM

The Pocono Record's editorial board recently sat down with Northampton Community College's new president, Mark Erickson, to talk about his goals and vision for the institution.

CHRISTINA TATU

The Pocono Record's editorial board recently sat down with Northampton Community College's new president, Mark Erickson, to talk about his goals and vision for the institution.

During his first few months, Erickson says he wants to hear what the community has to say.

"There seems to be a lot of energy about the college, especially with the new campus coming in," Erickson said. "I plan to do what I'm calling a 'listening tour,' which is getting out into various settings and listening to our governmental leaders, business and community leaders and hearing what they think about us."

Erickson, who started July 2, replaces retired President Arthur Scott.

Erickson was most recently the president of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, but has plenty of experience in the Lehigh Valley.

He spent 22 years working at Lehigh University in several administrative roles, including vice president for administrative and government affairs, and top adviser to then-President Gregory Farrington.

Erickson's wife, Lin, worked at Northampton for nine years.

Erickson was hired at a salary of $205,500 per year, with a five-year contract. Scott was making $193,522 when he retired.

Q. How did you end up in the Lehigh Valley?

A. At Lehigh University, I started out as assistant dean of students and ended up in administration and government affairs, kind of a right-hand person to the president.

I was in six different positions over the course of that 21½ years. I was working at the University of South Carolina prior to that.

I loved having the opportunity to return, especially to a place I was familiar with. My wife (Lin) worked at Northampton for nine years, and Art (Scott) has been a friend for 25 years.

I've always been excited about what I saw the college doing. As I think about what I like most and am engaged in, Northampton was just a great fit.

Q. What is it that makes you so passionate about higher education?

A. I'm very committed, and I've become more committed to access to higher ed. As I look to where (Northampton) makes the most difference, it's often the kids who, if it weren't for this opportunity, wouldn't be in higher education.

The other passion for me is economic development. Wittenberg established the Center for Civic and Urban Engagement — the natural extension of what a college should be doing.

We talk about ourselves as being a college of the community, and we are.

Q. What are your goals now that you are president?

A. One of the early roles I see myself playing is getting out and meeting key players and individuals, both in the government end and the business end, and learning as much as I can about this area and listening to what the needs are.

I want to make sure what we do at the college is responsive in terms of workforce development and helping to spur economic development.

Q. Have you been involved in sizeable construction projects before, such as the building of the new Monroe County campus?

A. Certainly, I have been involved in major construction projects — but nothing that looks exactly like a new campus. Construction of new buildings and major renovations of existing buildings are what I have overseen in the past.

We installed new residence halls, and there was a major academic building that was totally overhauled (at Wittenberg).

It's kind of fun to have this blank slate you can create a campus from.

With the world changing as quickly as it is, one of the real advantages I think we have with the Monroe campus is to look at technology, especially with an eye toward the future, to make sure the technological capabilities of our campus match the world we are now living in.

Q. You talk about one of your passions being access to higher education. Where did that come from?

A. I think a lot of it is sitting in the seat that I sit in. I have found the most meaningful moments are when those students cross the stage at commencement.

You can just see the difference we are making in their lives. Now amplify that by 10, and you see the impact a place like Northampton is having.

I think the reach that we have, especially into communities that are more economically disadvantaged, is greater than it was at the institutions where I was before.

The students, their stories are so compelling. I'm at a point in my life where I am very driven personally, predominantly, by making a difference. For me, education made a real difference in my own life.

There were individuals who stepped up to make a difference in my life, and that's kind of what pulls me to make a difference.

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